Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & Environment
Minutes: Monthly Meeting Sept 22, 2021 via Zoom
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Sue-Ellen gave a land acknowledgement of the indigenous people who lived here before us and their descendants.
The Pigsgusset Initiative is doing strategic planning to re-examine placenames and the town seal, to shed light on the lost indigenous history and correct myths. An online public forum webinar is scheduled for Sunday Nov 14, 2:30-4:30pm
Friends of Bees recently hosted a very successful local chemical-free garden tour, has spread the word at the Farmer’s Market, and helped implement a Pollinator Garden at the DPW Yard.
The Refugee Support Group is getting ready to work with Afghan refugees through a coordinated network of agencies while they continue to work with a group of families. Like many others, they are troubled and are watching carefully the events at the border.
Watertown Community for Black Lives continues their vigils and activities. Look for their upcoming film series Race Reels.
PRESENTATION – CLIMATE ACTIVISTS: NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL
Watertown Faces Climate Change is a working group of WCPJE as well as a node of 350 Mass. The group helps promote Mass Power Forward, which consolidates all the climate groups working statewide to engender a collective focus. Locally WFCC works with the town’s Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee and joins forces with Sunrise and ER. Ann Munson, chair of WFCC introduced the invited speakers to talk about their impressive activities at the National, State, and Local level, and their love of the work.
NATIONAL Sabine von Mering from 350 Mass reported on massive legislative funding efforts to move us off carbon, with slim possibilities. Democrats need to pass the End Polluter Welfare Act to eliminate the fossil fuel subsidies that currently go to hundreds of businesses. Check out the Food and Water Watch Fun & Noise Campaign to get Katherine Clark to sign on. Sabine was one of 100 people now facing felony charges for protesting Enbridge (a known spiller) from construction of a tar sands (the worst dirty fuel) pipeline across indigenous lands. The national campaign, Chase Earns, World Burns is bringing attention to how much the Big Banks (Chase being the worst, among others) continue to invest in fossil fuels.
STATE Cabell Eames is working for 350 on state issues. She is concerned about Governor Baker’s resistance to the Climate Bill, lackadaisical implementation, and a powerful real estate lobby, which is likely to thwart efforts to meet the ambitious goals of that bill. Steve Owens has been a trusted advocate. It is going to take the combined work of multiple communities to ensure its enactment. Steve has been identifying data, new technologies, and innovative approaches to local industries, and is bringing this information to policy makers and advocates. Topics include electrifying transit, electric school buses, carbon free investment funds for cities, manufacture of wind turbine blades and wireless induction charging pads, and home rule for gas infrastructure.
LOCAL WFCC Jolly Tager spoke about achieving two net zero elementary schools, when it was said it couldn’t be done. She attributed it to “advocating early and often.” Ellen Rothman presented sketches for the new high school and identified the design elements that will get the school to net zero. First was designing for energy conservation and then for a combination of ground heat pumps, solar, and emerging technologies. Deborah Peterson reported on the several Opt Up Campaigns for Watertown Electricity Choice and the challenges ahead to maintain the town’s impressive renewables threshold in a less favorable energy market. Along with others, Susan LaDue has been tireless, challenging new developers and the planning department to meet higher energy and environmental standards. Brian Hebeisen summarized the process, elements, and timetable for the town’s Climate Action Plan. A consultant was hired in March. Final Plan is due March 22. Several working groups with local residents and a few climate activists are looking at buildings, transportation, etc. Brian presented a framework for evaluation that includes a strong plan – Town Follow Up with dedicated resources, Focus on Mitigation, Intermediate Milestones, and Comprehensiveness.
Attendance: Diana Barlow, Chuck Dickinson, Tod Gross, Jacqui Gross, Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin, Eric Kemp- Benedict, Tyler Kemp-Benedict, Tony Palomba, Deborah Peterson, Pam Phillips, Arun Sannuti, Lennie Shames, Jennifer Wolfrum. Sue Ellen Hershman Tcherepnin, Deborah Peterson, Mary Skinner, Brian Hebeisen, Jolly Tager, Cabell Eames, Ann Munson, Tony Palomba, Ellen Rothman, Steve Owens, Caroline Bays, Ernesta Kraczkiewicz, Eileen Ryan, Ewina Wallack, Lisa Feltner, Annie Fortnow, Alex Dale, Sharon Bauer, Pam Phillips, Carina Wallack Online: Helen Soussou, Diana Barlow, Janet Jameson, Jeanne Trubek, Judy Fallows, Libby Shaw, Susan LaDue,Richard Kalish, Elizabeth Strekalovsky